Past researches have shown that the non-smooth body surfaces of soil burrowing animals help to reduce soil resistance. In this research, this concept of bionic non-smooth surface was applied to disc ploughs and an experiment was conducted in an indoor soil bin to find out the effects of different bionic units on reducing soil resistance to disc ploughing. Horizontal force acting on the disc plough during soil deformation was measured using a 5 kN sensor. Convex and concave bionic units were used and the material used for making convex ones is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) which is hydrophobic. From the experiment results, higher or deeper bionic units always resulted in less soil resistance. Convex bionic units gave the highest resistance reduction reaching a maximum of 19% reduction (from 1715.36 N to 1383.65 N) compared to concave bi-onic units. Also, samples with a bionic unit density of 30% gave the highest resistance reduction compared to the other two, which were either plain or had 10% density. In conclusion, the concept of bionic non-smooth units can be applied to disc ploughs in order to reduce soil resistance.
